Livewire Festival - a new series of concerts - is thrilled to announce its brand new app powered by Second Screen, an innovative app developer. Bringing fans closer to the festival, the app will reveal exclusive behind-the-scenes content, competitions, stage times and much more.

Taking place from 25th - 27th August, Livewire Festival will be hosting some of the world’s biggest musical stars. Blackpool’s Headland Arena will see The Jacksons and a rare UK appearance from Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff. All will take to the stage this Bank Holiday weekend, along with some of the biggest pop acts of the 1980s such as Jason Donovan and Go West.

Available to download on iPhones and Android smartphones, the new app will bridge the gap between the event and festival goers. Users of the Second Screen-powered app can tap into everything they need know about the first ever Livewire Festival. This includes being the first to find out about festival news, keeping up to date with event announcements and accessing exclusive behind-the-scenes content.

App features include:

• Stage times

• Ticket news

• Line-up news

• Newsfeed

• Live streaming

Download the app from the App Store and Google Play to discover when your favourite act will be playing, exclusive backstage content, line-up news and much more.

Second Screen offers a customisable white label service which connects talent, events and fans. Every app developed by Second Screen brings users closer to their favourite artists, festivals and events, by allowing fans to interact directly with exclusive content that is unavailable anywhere else.

This August Bank Holiday weekend, Blackpool’s Headlands Arena will be hosting some of the world’s biggest musical stars for LIVEWIRE Festival, a new series of concerts. One of the most recognisable outfit in musical history, The Jacksons will headline the Friday. The Saturday line-up features some of the biggest pop hits of the 1980s as part of Pete Waterman’s Hit Factory, which includes the man himself. Last but not least the Sunday sees Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff team up for a rare UK appearance.

A LIVEWIRE spokesperson said, “This is LIVEWIRE Festival’s first year and we are thrilled to be launching this fabulous weekend of music. We can’t wait to bring Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff, The Jacksons, Jason Donovan and more to Blackpool, the best location in the UK for entertainment.”

The Crowds Came Out To Celebrate Liverpool’s Biggest Ever Pride Event

​

Liverpool Pride has spread huge amounts of International Love with this weekend’s celebrations proving to be the biggest and best yet.

Thousands of people flocked to the two-day LGBT+ celebration which brought a colourful party atmosphere to Liverpool city centre over the weekend.

Festival organisers say an estimated 50k revellers joined the fun, with more than 8k people taking part in the 8th annual Pride March alone. The biggest public march the city has seen.

This year’s Pride celebrated International Love, complementing the city’s 50 Summers of Love programme, and many marchers dressed up and carried flags and banners reflecting the theme as they made their way through the city centre on a route which took in Whitechapel, Lord Street, Castle Street, Dale Street and the Stanley Street Quarter.

The free two-day festival returned to the historic St George’s Quarter for a second year, offering a fantastic line up of non-stop entertainment on both Saturday and on Sunday’s We Are Family Day.

They were joined during the day by a host of top acts including Kym Mazelle, Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK and 90s sensations Livin’ Joy, while the World on One Stage – sponsored by Manchester Airport – celebrated the International Love theme with performances from organisations like Brazilica, Pagoda Arts and Liverpool Irish Festival.

Meanwhile the We Are Family day on Sunday extended the Pride celebrations with X Factor’s Marcus Collins headlining the event.

He was joined by musical theatre stars in the making – boyband Five to Five, who were winners of BBC talent search Let It Shine and who will come to the Liverpool Empire in January in playwright Tim Firth’s new show The Band.

Jennifer John returned to Pride for 2017 with a choral arrangement from eight Merseyside choirs, again celebrating the theme of International Love.

And the day also saw entertainment for all family with a range of fun inflatables, fairground rides, arts and crafts, and international food stalls.

Lucy Day, Chair of Liverpool Pride said: “We are overjoyed and deeply moved that so many people came out to celebrate equality. People took our theme of International Love to heart, making Liverpool a Beacon of hope. Thank to everyone for making the weekend our best Pride event yet. We are already planning next years event which will take place on 28th and 29th July 2018”

Liverpool Pride also had a hugely successful Come Out Of The Shadows campaign which seen over 30 buildings lit in rainbow colours showing Liverpool as a visibly LGBT+ friendly city and to shine a light on hate crime.

A public exhibition continues in Liverpool ONE until September and Pride at the Pictures film programme, continues at FACT until early September.

Liverpool Pride Festival 2017 was sponsored by Barclays. Further support also came from Manchester Airport as the official Airport Sponsor; Radio City as the official Media Partner; Homes For Everyone; and Signature Living as the official Hotel Partner.

Livewire Festival announces the support acts for its inaugural year, which will feature Motown legends The Jacksons, who have just wowed Glastonbury audiences, as well as the first ever UK live performance for Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff.

Kicking off for The Jacksons on Friday 25th August will be British soul legends The Christians and Mica Paris. The support for Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff on Saturday 27th August will feature the legendary party-starter Fatman Scoop and UK dance duo Phats and Small. Blackpool girl group Tiger-S will also be bringing their fresh pop stylings to the final night.

The Christians have been described as “the Temptations with ripped jeans”, whose ‘socially-aware soul music’ made an impact on popular culture in the 1980s. 2017 is the 30th anniversary of their self-titled multi-platinum debut album. Mica Paris is the Queen of UK soul music, as well as a respected actor, radio and TV presenter. She has just released a new album ‘Mica sings Ella’, a tribute to the music of Ella Fitzgerald.

Everyone will recognise Fatman Scoop’s gargantuan hit ‘Be Faithfull’, and so many party tunes he features on with P.Diddy, 50 Cent, or Timbaland to name a few. Dance music duo Phats and Small are best known for their international hit ‘Turn Around’. Since forming in the late 1990s they have continued to work with the biggest and best in electronic music including Carl Cox, Daft Punk and Jean Michelle Jarre.

“We are thrilled to be sharing the stage with two legends, to us it's the stuff that dreams are made of. Only last year we were watching from the crowd whilst the great DJ Jazzy Jeff tore down a club in Amsterdam with an incredible DJ set. 27th Aug will not only see us supporting the man himself but also his partner in rhyme the legendary Will Smith aka The Fresh Prince. We are proud to say that for Phats and Small it definitely puts our summer summer time on smash, we can't wait!!!” Ben Ofoedu, Phats and Small

SUPPORT ARTIST INFO

FRIDAY 25th August

Mica Paris

Mica Paris is one of the UK’s most respected female singers with a career full of Top 10 hit singles and albums worldwide. Her debut album 'So Good’ went Platinum. Mica has collaborated with respected artists such as David Gilmour, Prince and Jools Holland, as well as her many talents to London’s West End stage starring in Mama I Want To Sing, The Vagina Monologues and Sweet Lorraine.

The Christians

Formed in Liverpool in the 80's, their debut double platinum album 'The Christians' was released in 1987 making No 2 in the album charts. With their solid line-up of great talent, they are sounding as stunning as they did 30 years ago.

SUNDAY 27th August

Fatman Scoop

Fatman Scoop is notorious for shouting his name and requesting that you do whatever he tells you... so put your damn hands up! Whether it’s Scoop’s rambunctious baritone hyping a track or video cameos for P.Diddy, 50 Cent, or Elephant Man to name a few, Scoop’s booming voice, catchy hooks, electrifying energy and charismatic presence never go unnoticed.

Phats and Small

Phats & Small are best known for their international hit, Turn Around. The duo have amassed international sales of over 5 million, winning multiple international awards and nominations including TMF Award, RSH Award, 2 German Dance Awards, Brit Award, Muzik/Sony Ericsson, 2 Capital Radio awards and 2 Mobo awards.

Tiger-S

Up-and-coming local girl group Tiger-S are seeing their hard work paying off, having recently played alongside The Vamps, Professor Green and Lawson.

Sinitta closes Manchester Pride

​

It's become something of a tradition in Manchester's gay village, and this year is no different!

Eagle Bar on Bloom Street will be closing Manchester Pride in decidant style, with the ultimate party straight after the vigil on Monday 28th August, as our delicious hostess KY Kelly invites pop princess Sinitta to perform a smattering of her best loved hits including 'so Macho!', 'Toy Boy', and 'Cross My Broken Heart.'

So mark it in your diaries, book Tuesday off work and dig out your illuminous leg warmers as we bring the 80s back to Eagle for one night only!

There's no entry fee, although we will be asking for a charitable donation on the door. Please note that our regular door policy applies.